Masquerade Dance
by ColorsAndVoices
Summary: Rose and the Bad Wolf trick the Doctor into visiting a planet renowned for being host to hundreds of parties. Payback of a sort ensues.


Her choice of clothing was strange

AN: My most sincere apologies for taking forever to get this posted. To all the people I promised a sequel to Acceptance, here it is: late, :feels guilty, but hopefully worth it.

Also, this story doesn't necessarily require knowledge of any of my other stories, however, if some things are confusing, they _may_ clear things up. If not, let me know and I'll do my best to fix it.

Hope you enjoy, and that it makes up for some lost time. – AutumnxAngel

Traditional disclaimers apply.

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The Doctor bounced around the TARDIS controls, humming slightly out of tune to the music they had been greeted with upon arriving in the console room. Apparently the Bad Wolf was just as happy as those who lived in her home.

Rose leaned contentedly against one of the coral supports, laughing as he reached for a lever and missed, breaking his beat and making him skip several notes. He shot her an amused glare and she waved at him impishly, grinning at his mood. The brooding and silence that had plagued him seemed to have evaporated over the last week and she reveled in the eager joy that tinged the air around him.

He disappeared around the time-rotor and she watched his silhouette. When he came back around, she found a ball-shaped piece of the console flying in her direction. Reflexes honed from travels with someone as jeopardy-friendly as herself allowed her to catch the spherical object. With a smile for her, he slipped back out of sight, his hum changing to words.

She listened to him sing for a moment, fascinated by the rich tones of his voice as it rose and fell, twining around and between the alien lyrics. Apparently the Tardis not only refused to translate Gallifreyan, but music as well. The Doctor had said something about things getting "lost in translation", but she couldn't remember what. Listening to him, she decided she far preferred hearing him sing in an alien tongue anyway; it was way better than his usual Earth English.

Breaking her attention from his voice, she looked down at the object he had thrown at her. It was silver in color, about the size of her fist, and absolutely covered with symbols and lines. She turned it this way and that, holding it up to her face, interested by the delicate nature of the lines carved into it. Giving up on her study, she was about to ask him what it was for, and why he had chosen to throw it at her, when a gentle hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Let me see." The Bad Wolf stood at her side, dressed in a loose set of clothes that would easily pass for pajamas. She held out a hand for the small globe and winked at Rose. Shrugging, the girl handed it over, vaguely curious.

The Bad Wolf spun the item in her hand, apparently making note of the lines that ran over it. When she had finished her inspection, she looked back up at Rose. "You wanna go to one of the best parties in the universe?" Her voice was eager, and slightly conspiratorial.

Rose grinned eagerly. As much as she'd been enjoying having the Doctor's complete attention for the last week, it was just about time for a break, and a party might even give her both. "Yeah." She glanced over to where the Doctor's head and shoulders had disappeared under the console. His now muffled voice was no longer singing, but mumbling in annoyance about some obscure part of the TARDIS. "Will _he_ object?"

The Bad Wolf chuckled in a way that should have made Rose nervous but really only served to make her more eager. "I wasn't planning on asking him." She held up the silver object, now devoid of all the little lines it had held. "Watch this."

Rose did watch, fascinated as the Bad Wolf breathed on the little sphere and new lines began to appear across it. "What's it doing?"

"Coordinates." The Bad Wolf inspected her work and smirked, offering it back to Rose, who took it hesitantly this time. It was warm now, and seemed to be humming. "We're going to Bluefire Three. Not the most creative name, _definitely_ the most creative parties. The place has literally thousands of massive buildings, each one housing a never-ending party from just about any given place at any given time." Rose noted that the Bad Wolf's eyes held the same fire the Doctor's often showed when he was explaining something he thought was fantastic.

"See, the first to find it recognized its massive potential as a place with the type of atmospheric conditions that can support loads of different species. They started it up as a club, like something you might find back on Earth, twenty-first century, only rather than grow and then fade, it grew and never stopped. Within a few years, others had brought their own style of party and the place hasn't slowed down since. It's brilliant really."

She grinned. "Does this mean…I'll be able to _choose_ between hundreds of parties, each one different from the last?" Rose wondered if the Bad Wolf's excitement was contagious, as she became more and more excited about this party planet.

"Not hundreds, thousands." The Bad Wolf shot another glance at the Doctor, making Rose feel like they were co-conspirators in some great plot. "Now, when he asks for this back, just give it to him. He'll us it, and it'll do the rest."

"Won't he notice?" Rose was now following the Bad Wolf's gaze, and she felt a twinge of desire as the Doctor squirmed in an attempt to get further under the console.

"I doubt it. As long as he has no reason to be suspicious, he won't be." The two smirked at each other knowingly. Brilliant as the Doctor may be, that didn't make him any less absent-minded. "Luck. I'll see you later." The Bad Wolf griped Rose's shoulder for a moment before walking back into the interior of the TARDIS.

The girl smiled, deciding she was very glad to finally be able to talk with openly with the Bad Wolf. The Doctor was so going to pay for all the time he had spent avoiding their relationship, and she was certain he would find some of the most pleasant ways to apologize. Rolling the little ball between her palms, she resumed her admiration of the Time Lord and gloated over her soon-to-be victory.

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By the time the Doctor came out from under the console, Rose had become bored and was stretched out along the captain's chair almost asleep. She brought her focus back to the present when he stood and stretched away the cramps that came from far too long poking around under the console. Her eyes roved over his chest and throat as he arched his back, stretching his arms over his head and groaning. When he reached the height of his stretch, his eyes flicked open and down to meet hers. A lazy grin spread over his face.

"Enjoying the view?" He came over to her seat, shifting her legs and sitting so that they rested on his. She grinned at him, reaching down to twine her fingers with his for a moment.

"Oh, I don't know…" she teased, letting his hand go to tuck her arms behind her head and smirk up at him. One of his eyebrows arched up into his hairline, calling her bluff.

She laughed outright and pushed herself up to throw her arms around his neck, shifting herself to sit fully on his lap. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I'm sorry I bored you." He buried his face in her hair, rubbing his nose along the curve of her ear.

"I don't mind." She told him, leaning back to look him in the eye. "I had a great view."

He grinned widely. "Knew it."

She couldn't help but laugh again and ruffle his hair. "Didn' think I should inflate your ego too much."

He put on a mock insulted look and shifted her from his lap back to the seat, pretending to ignore her as he began dancing around the console, flicking switches and pressing buttons. He reached out for something and stopped. "Rose, what did I do with the directions?" He glanced over the console and the floor, before looking back up at her. "I'd of sworn I just had it…"

She stared at the utterly baffled look on his face and collapsed into hysterics. So much for superior memory. "You mean this?" She pulled the altered coordinate ball from a pocket and offered it to him.

His face lit up. "Excellent!" He took the ball, pressing it into the console and flipping a switch. Rose felt the TARDIS lurch as it left the Vortex. A moment later, the ship gave a last small jolt as it landed, becoming part of a set space and time.

"Soooo, where exactly are we?" Rose resisted the urge to grin in anticipation.

"Oh, we're on Bluefire Three." He said offhand. "It's almost universally known for the best parties since…" He stopped, a confused look on his face. "Why are we on Bluefire Three?"

Rose was torn between smirking and laughing as he looked over the console and began mumbling to himself. "I _think_ that would be the Bad Wolf's fault"

He froze and looked at her. "What?"

The Bad Wolf slid under the railing to join Rose on the captain's chair, returning from wherever she had disappeared to since she'd been in the console room earlier. Rose shook her head slightly, still not entirely used to the Bad Wolf's rapid coming and going. "I believe she said it was my fault." The two girls looked at each other, twin smirks on their faces.

The Doctor blinked rapidly, looking back and forth between them. "Um…why does it feel like I've lost control of my own TARDIS?" He leaned back against the console, giving them an almost-glare.

The Bad Wolf chuckled and crossed the short distance between them, placing one hand on his chest and carefully watching his face. "Rose wanted a party. This seemed like the place to come." He glared at Rose over the Bad Wolf's shoulder, getting no more than a playful wave in return. "It's not like you had any particular place in mind. You were just aiming for any random market."

He shifted slightly. "But…Bluefire Three…um…"

"We picked the planet, you can pick the party." She leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "I suggest the masquerade dance. The one reminiscent of the Heras in 3700." She lightly thumped her palm on his chest and spun back away from him, winking at Rose as she sat back down to watch.

The Doctor shuffled his feet some, and Rose could see the wheels working in his mind as he weighed the importance of whatever he had wanted from the market. Apparently it wasn't overly important and the Bad Wolf's suggestion was acceptable, because a slow grin began to spread over his features.

"Rose?" His indecision faded in the face of another adventure and he all but bounced up to Rose to take her hands in his. "How would you like to go to a costume ball?"

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Rose spent some time deliberating over several of the incredible dresses that had been set out for her when she arrived in the wardrobe room.

Eventually deciding on a deep red one made of some soft, alien cloth, she checked herself in the mirror. The dress was nice, flowing smoothly over her body, and hugging her skin in all the right places. It was strapless, and somehow managed to dip low in the back. A gold vine pattern ran down the dress in a way that helped to emphasize her best points and draw attention away from any flaws. She shifted back and forth slightly, watching the material ripple around her in satisfaction.

She considered putting her hair up but changed her mind, deciding it looked well enough falling down to trail over the exposed skin of her shoulders and back. After some thought, she also chose not to return to her room and add to the light makeup she was wearing. The Doctor had recently asked her why she was so intent on changing what she looked like; informing her that she was "absolutely gorgeous without all that stuff", and she trusted his judgment. Even if she suspected he was biased.

After a last check in the mirror, Rose made her way through the TARDIS halls to the console room, eager to see the Doctor's choice of clothing, despite herself.

When she stepped into the console room, Rose looked around for the Doctor and paused, confused at his absence. The Bad Wolf was present, however, standing at the console, and fiddling with several of the buttons and levers on its surface. While her attention was held, Rose took the opportunity to admire her friend's choice of clothing.

The Bad Wolf's choice was different from what Rose was familiar with. The material was a deep, yet not overly dark blue that she had only ever seen in on her travels with the Doctor. It was trimmed in silver and an intricate swirling pattern of small black stars danced over the back. The sleeves began tight in the shoulder, but flared out a bit before cutting off at her elbow. The rest of the material hugged her torso, beginning with a high collar, which broke into a V in the front, and sliding delicately over her breasts and stomach and the muscles in her back until it reached her waistline. From the waist, down, the material split in the front and flared out loosely, much like a trench coat, but somehow softer and more feminine. A belt that looked more like a scarf, and was made of some alien material that looked like liquid silver, rested over her hips, just where the material began to flare out. It was tied so that its tails hung freely before ending at mid-thigh length. Beneath the flaring part of the material, she wore a pair of matching pants that hung loosely and comfortably, rippling as they fell down her legs. The pants were cut just low enough to touch the floor, and just high enough to reveal a pair of black, form-fitting, shoes that reminded Rose of slippers.

When the Bad Wolf turned, a grin on her face, Rose observed that her shortly cropped hair was also loose, and hung somewhat errantly around her face and down her neck. Her silver-flecked eyes were shining brilliantly with enthusiasm.

She whistled under her breath, and Rose blushed, looking down. "_You_ are beautiful. I'm glad you picked that dress. You wear it even better than I had anticipated." She came closer, looking over the material with an approving eye.

Rose looked up at her. "You picked those dresses for me?"

"Of course. You forget that I have been suggesting your clothing since you arrived on this ship." She smiled.

Not for the first time, Rose reminded herself that she had been living with the Bad Wolf for far longer than she had known her by that name. "Right. Sorry. Just not quite used to you like this yet."

The Bad Wolf chuckled softly. "It is not something to worry about." She cleared her throat gently, as though almost uncomfortable. "Oh, the Doctor asked that I give you something." She held out her hand, and Rose, curious, cupped one hand under it. The Bad Wolf slowly opened her fist, letting a thin gold chain with a pendant attached pool in Rose's palm.

Holding up the pendant to look at it, Rose gasped. It was a small, clear stone shaped into the perfect image of a rose in miniature. She wondered how anyone could possibly shape a stone into that kind of detail.

"And that's not the best of it." The Bad Wolf was smiling at Rose's reaction. "It will change color to match both your clothing and your mood."

Rose cupped the miniature flower in her palm, watching as it changed to a deep, sparkling red that she felt exactly matched her mood. "It's absolutely incredible." She pulled her gaze from the pendant to look at the Bad Wolf. "But I don't understand, why isn't he here?"

The Bad Wolf chuckled. "His choice of attire was poor. I sent him to find something more appropriate to the atmosphere." Rose giggled as she pictured the Doctor getting told off for his clothing. She could easily imagine the wounded, almost-pout that would have been on his face as he tried to defend himself, even while realizing it was useless.

"So, is he coming?" She wondered if the Doctor would refuse to go in an attempt to repay the Bad Wolf.

"Of course he is!" the Bad Wolf brushed her thumb along Roses cheek in affection. Her expression was serious now. "I would never do that to you." Her gaze was firm as she made sure that Rose understood, then softened. "He will meet us there. Dressed more appropriately this time." Her smile returned and she offered Rose her arm.

Rose grinned in return, willing the Doctor to be ready faster, eager to see what the Bad Wolf had chosen for him. She looped his gift around her wrist, wanting to wait for him to put it around her neck, and lacking any pockets in which to keep it until then. She took the Bad Wolf's arm, trying not to laugh as she imagined what her friends from Earth would think if they could see her now, and the two left the TARDIS.

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Rose carefully sat on a couch that was tucked into one of several small niches lining the walls of an enormous ballroom, and removed the ornate mask the Bad Wolf had provided her just prior to their entrance into the room. She was slightly short of breath, and her skin was aflame from the vigor of dancing and the warmth in the room. She wished for the Doctor to appear and press his cool hands into hers. Then again, she thought, if he had been dancing with her, his hands might not be any cooler than her own. The thought made her smile as she looked out at the rest of the party-goers, some almost human, and some definitely alien.

Resting back in the comfort of the couch, she admired once more the sweeping arches that held the vaulted ceiling. They were ornately carved with symbols and images that were only just large enough to make out from the floor far below them. The ceiling itself was made to look like the night sky; dark blue and pricked with hundreds, or thousands really, of bright stars. The rest of the room was perhaps something that could be found in some palace on Earth, Rose decided, but the ceiling was way beyond anything her planet had seen so far.

She accepted a drink from a passing server, who resembled a young human boy save for his blue skin and the iridescent nature of his eyes as he smiled at her, and returned her gaze to the crowd. Dozens of bodies swirled and twisted to soft alien music, some of the dances almost familiar, and others something entirely new to Rose. Almost all of those present wore something over their faces. The Bad Wolf had explained it as the theme to this particular room; disguise.

She watched as the Bad Wolf danced by, grinning somewhat madly, in the arms of an alien who would pass for human if his skin was not an impossible black that contrasted so sharply with the bright blue eyes that shone from behind his mask. He was dressed in matching black shirt and pants, both loose, with a cape that swirled around their feet. As they danced closer and he spoke in a low rolling voice, Rose became certain he was alien, watching his black tongue shape sounds that no human was capable of. The Bad Wolf laughed, a light, melodious sound that reminded Rose of the song she could sometimes hear in the TARDIS, and winked at Rose.

Smiling back, she sipped her drink and enjoyed the cool, sweet liquid as it ran down her throat. Lost in her own thoughts, she was somewhat startled when a soft voice spoke next to her.

"May I?" She looked up into the dark eyes of the speaker as he gestured to the place beside her. He smiled gently and dipped slightly in an almost-bow.

"Sure." Rose grinned, admiring what she could see of his face, and wishing again for the Doctor to arrive. She wanted to dance with him, but if he wasn't going to show up, she planned to enjoy herself anyway. She had already been twirled around the dance floor by several aliens and couldn't claim she would object to the same from this one.

He flashed her another soft smile, and sat, his clothes rustling slightly as he did so. She let her eyes take in his clothing quickly, noticing that it was quite similar to what the Bad Wolf's partner had been wearing except that it was covered in intricate silver symbols and the collar came much higher on his neck.

When he spoke, she pulled her eyes back to his. "You look tired. If the air here becomes too close I can show you to one of the balconies here. They are outside the main compound and look down on the gardens, so the air is fresh." Rose lost track of what he was saying after the first few words, captivated by the accent that she could now hear. It was subtle, and strange, something she assumed must be alien. There was almost a precise slurring of his voice so that the minute pause that should be present between words was what she could only describe as blurry. She realized that she found it incredibly beautiful and was almost shocked at the strength of her reaction.

His head was tipped slightly to one side and Rose couldn't help but notice the similarity the posture held to the Doctor's when he was curious about something. Realizing he was looking for a response, she shook off her reaction to his voice.

"Sorry, I'm a bit tired. What?" She focused on his actual words this time and realized the attractiveness of is offer. The room, though massive, was quite warm from the presence of so many individuals. She smiled at him. "Sounds good." His eyes seemed to brighten slightly as he stood, and offered his arm much as the Bad Wolf had done earlier.

She set her drink aside and looked for the Bad Wolf in the crowd for a moment, wanting to be sure the Doctor could find her upon his arrival, but there was no sign of her. Giving up, she placed a hand on his arm and let him lead her around the room's perimeter.

When they reached the end of the room, he led her through a small arched doorway. Stepping onto the balcony, Rose was immediately relived to feel cool air settle over her skin. She released her guide's arm to go to the rail of the terrace and look out at the night-shrouded garden below. She felt, rather than saw, her escort come to lean against the rail beside her, crossing his arms and leaning heavily on the stonework.

She frowned slightly, realizing the apparent trust she had in the man beside her in letting him take her away from the crowd. She was vaguely surprised. The last time she had come to trust someone so quickly had been Jack, and the Doctor before that. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, annoyed at herself, but unaccountably curious.

He turned toward her a little, the light from the doorway casting shadows over the mask on his face. "Do you know the history of this place?" He asked, his voice warm and his accent once again immediately captivating. She shook her head, trying to explain her reaction to herself but unable to find her own logic. "It started some time ago, with some humans actually, and now it is the kind of place where hundreds or more species can come and feel completely comfortable. It's incredible, that a party planet could become such neutral ground. Everyone comes here to have fun, and everything else stays outside this atmosphere." There was a soft wonder in his voice that made Rose want to smile. He continued to speak, going back to the rise of Bluefire Three, but she was no longer listening to the words but letting his accent roll through her mind.

After a while he trailed off. She blinked and pulled her attention away from the sound of his voice. A soft chuckle escaped from his lips. "You're not really listening are you?" Amusement was apparent in his tone and she blushed.

"Sorry, I…" She was scrambling for an excuse but he saved her the trouble.

"So, tell me, are you often this trusting of complete strangers?" He stood from the railing and stepped closer to her.

She opened her mouth to deny her trust of him, but his sudden proximity seemed to have robbed her of words. Her heart began to beat faster, and she didn't know if it was fear or excitement. "Um…" she fumbled for words.

He laughed softly under his breath and she caught something in his eyes that she thought she recognized.

"Close your eyes." His phrasing was an order, but his tone made it a question. After staring into his eyes for a moment, she felt her heart rate jump slightly higher and knew she was going to do as he asked.

Her eyes slid closed, and while part of her mind protested the trust, telling her to retreat to the safety of the main room, the adventurous part of her told it to sod off. She felt the warmth of his body and there was a slight rustle of cloth as he moved. She had only a moment's warning of his intentions as his breath ghosted over her face before his lips brushed lightly against hers.

Without even taking time to think, she recognized why his eyes had seemed familiar. She could hear her heart still beating rapidly and her voice when she spoke was hardly a whisper. "Doctor."

He chuckled and her eyes snapped open to see his wide grin and the sparkle lighting up his eyes. She threw her arms around his neck, satisfied as she felt the air pushed from his lungs when she hit him. Laughing despite herself, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and promised to make him pay.

He recovered rapidly from the surprise of her hug, his arms wrapping around her and holding her close. When she mumbled into his neck, he loosened his hold slightly. "Sorry, didn't catch that." Rose noticed that his accent had faded and vaguely wished it hadn't.

She leaned back, just enough to glare at him. "I said I'm gonna kill you." He grinned at her widely.

"Oi! You and the Bad Wolf had it comin. She wasn't half so bossy until you came around." He attempted to be serious, but his happiness, combined with the feel of her in his arms, made him much less intimidating.

She snickered and stepped back from him slightly, careful not to break his hold on her waist, though she let her own hands trail down his soft clothing to rest on his chest, over his hearts.

"You laugh now…" He warned, the threat falling flat.

She giggled. "Oh, I'm terribly scared."

"As you should be." His eyes were bright. "I've a very creative mind when it comes to payback." His voice was low, and the accent had crept back into his speech, the combined effect of that and her knowledge that what he said was true making her shiver. He delighted in her reaction, promising himself that he would use his native accent far more often.

"So," his head tipped to the side, and Rose instinctively knew she was in trouble. "should I worry about you going off with strange aliens?"

She blushed and shook her head. "I only had that much trust because it was you. I'm always like that with you, even before I knew you and apparently even when I don't recognize you."

His teasing smile softened and he pulled her to his chest once more, overcome with affection. "And I am so very glad of that."

They stood for a moment, enjoying the simple pleasure of holding each other close.

At length he stepped out of her embrace and took the time to study her dress outright. It had been hard to resist the urge to look at her earlier, but he hadn't wanted to get caught. Now that the game was up, he let his eyes roam her body, taking in every nuance about her. When he reached her face, she was blushing. He chuckled, loving her reaction.

When she met his gaze, he pointedly looked at her wrist. "Why do you wear it there?" Confusion crossed her face for a moment, then realization as she saw what had drawn his attention.

She blushed again and wished she could control herself more when she was around him. "I sort of wanted you to put it on me." Her voice was quiet and she was slightly nervous, hoping he wouldn't think her childish.

A grin split his face and her worry evaporated. "Brilliant." He caught her hand and gently removed the necklace. As he held it, it changed slightly in color, his need for her expressed within the pendant. He hoped she didn't notice and motioned for her to turn.

He gently brushed aside her golden hair, indescribably glad she had left it down, and placed the thin gold chain around her neck. Task complete, he pressed a kiss to the place where her neck met her shoulder, letting his hands trail down the exposed part of her back and grinning when she shivered. Breathing her in he got bolder, his mouth trailing a line down her shoulder before returning to place an open-mouthed kiss where he had started. His mark appeared briefly on her skin at his close proximity before fading back into her. She moaned softly and leaned back into his touch. He would have been smug if she hadn't been having a very similar effect on him.

Wrestling his control back into place, he turned her again and stepped back to admire his gift where it belonged. He noted that the pendant's color had not changed from when he had held it and allowed himself to be a little smug. He hummed his pleasure at the sight of her wearing something he had given her, and watched as the pendant darkened farther.

Unable to resist any more, he pulled her to him and brought his mouth down to hers. She accepted him happily, letting him part her lips for his tongue to explore. She tasted faintly of alien drinks and he decided to be sure they added whatever she had had to the TARDIS kitchen, knowing that he would almost always associate that flavor with her.

He kissed gently, keeping his exploration sweet and soft rather than demanding. When she needed to breathe, he broke off to rest his forehead against hers, rather than giving her air as he sometimes did. She breathed deeply in an attempt to control her lungs and heart, but he could was close enough to feel her body's reaction anyway. He smiled and slid his head to the side until his lips brushed the shell of her ear.

"The Bad Wolf did tell you that that pendant reflects mood as well as matching your clothing right?" His hands were on her waist and he had to suppress the urge to pull her tighter to him, just to feel her body against his and show her beyond a doubt the effect she had on him.

"Yes." Her breath was shaky, and her hands clung to his shoulders.

"Crimson is for desire." His voice was almost a growl as his body responded to her own reaction.

She pressed tight against him of her own accord and he hissed in surprise. "Maybe you should do something about it." She turned her face into his neck, annoyed by the collar on his shirt, wanting to taste his skin.

He did growl now, stepping her back against the rail and trapping her body between himself and it. She trailed her hands down his chest, enjoying his breath on her ear as he tried to keep his breath steady and failed. She tugged on his shirt until she could run her hands up under it, reveling in the beautifully soft skin of his stomach and then his back as she trailed her hands over his muscles.

His face slid down to bury a moan in her neck and both of them shuddered.

A shadow moved across the light falling through the doorway as its owner moved into the darkness to stand beside them.

The Bad Wolf cleared her throat and the Doctor made a growling/moaning sound that Rose could only interpret as frustration. She fully sympathized.

"I believe we discussed my ability to protect Rose's mind while the two of you are outside of that room…." Her voice was a mixture of teasing and understanding as she waited for the Doctor to acknowledge her.

He sighed and pulled back. Rose grinned at his expression and he couldn't help but smile back. "Okay." He agreed. "We'll take it back to the TARDIS." His tone added to Rose's amusement. He pressed against her a little more firmly and she immediately agreed that the TARDIS was a good idea.

"Good." The Bad Wolf watched the Doctor step away from Rose and tuck his shirt back in with a smile. "As long as you make it back to that room, you will be fine. I will remain here for now, and return when you are ready to leave." The Doctor nodded his understanding.

The Bad Wolf smiled as they left hand in hand. She picked up his mask where it lay forgotten and would later retrieve Rose's from the niche where she had rested.

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When they were outside the building, the Doctor grinned madly and swept Rose from her feet. She looked at him questioningly.

"You weren't close enough." He explained. "Carrying you keeps you closer."

She smiled and agreed, burying her face in his chest and listening to his hearts, wishing they had parked the TARDIS closer.

Almost as an afterthought, she spoke up. "You know, the two of us never got to dance together. Isn't that why we came here?"

He laughed. "Oh don't worry, we will." She smiled, laughing with him as he stumbled into the TARDIS, refusing to set her down.

And that's exactly what they did.

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AN: Well, any thoughts? Good or bad I'd love to hear about it. ;-)


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